This invention relates generally to barbecue ovens, and in particular to a barbecue oven having improved heat and smoke flow.
Barbecuing is a traditional cooking process that typically involves the cooking of foods by exposing them to relatively low temperature smoke for a number of hours. The structure used for barbecuing typically includes a heating or fire chamber, a cooking chamber and a conduit or flue through which smoke and heated combustion gases are transported from the fire chamber to the cooking chamber. Smoke and heat is produced by burning a smoke producing substance in the fire chamber such as wood, which is periodically replenished, until cooking is completed. The fire chamber is traditionally located to the side of the cooking chamber because grease often drips from the food being cooked. If the grease contacts the burning fuel, it could ignite. Typically, blowers or fans in the cooking chamber circulate the heated air and smoke from the fire chamber around the food to heat the food and impart a smokey flavor.
Among the several objects of this invention may be noted the provision of a barbecue oven that efficiently circulates heated air and smoke around the food; the provision of such a barbecue oven which can circulate heated air and smoke without a blower or other driver within the cooking chamber for moving the heat and smoke; the provision of such a barbecue oven which provides a heated air directing device that is adaptable to various sizes of barbecue ovens; the provision of such a barbecue oven which is practical to use in either an indoor or outdoor environment.
A barbecue oven of the present invention for cooking foods. The barbecue oven includes a housing, a cooking chamber in the housing sized and shaped for receiving food therein to be cooked, a fire chamber in the housing sized and shaped for receiving combustible material therein to generate heat and smoke for cooking the food. The barbecue oven also includes a firewall separating the fire chamber and the cooking chamber and a duct having a first end opening into the fire chamber and a second end opening into the cooking chamber. The duct tapers in a cross sectional area from the fire chamber to the cooking chamber such that heated smoke and air from the fire chamber accelerate from the second end of the duct into the cooking chamber for circulation within the cooking chamber.
In another aspect, the invention is a barbecue oven for cooking foods. The barbecue oven comprises a housing including at least one vertical wall, a top wall and a bottom wall. A cooking chamber in the housing is sized and shaped for receiving food therein to be cooked, and a fire chamber in the housing sized and shaped for receiving combustible material therein to generate heated air and smoke for cooking the food. A firewall separates the fire chamber and the cooking chamber. A duct extends between the fire chamber and cooking chamber for providing fluid communication therebetween, the firewall generally defining a bottom of the cooking chamber and having a trough configuration opening upwardly into the cooking chamber to promote circulation of heated air and smoke within the cooking chamber.
Other objects and features of the present invention will be in part apparent and in part pointed out hereinafter.